Water-closet



E c. HINKLE.

v WATER CLOSET.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 14, I9";- 1 1 93,784. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

ETS-SHEET I.

2 SHE E. C. HINKLE.

WATER CLOSET. APPLICATION FILED MAR- 14, 1916- 1,193,784. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 2.

- the bowl.

EDWIN C. HINKLE, F HEMPSTEAD, NEl/V YORK.

WATER-CLOSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed March 14, 1916. Serial No. 84,104.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, EDWIN C. HINKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Closets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in water closets, and more particularly to improved means for flushing the bowl, the obj ect of the invention being to so control the valve mechanism in the flush tank as to compel the same to flush the bowl every time the lid is raised and lowered, and provide means for preventing the lid from remaining in an upright position, but compel the same to fall by gravity to closed position, thereby compelling the flushing of the bowl at each raising of the lid.

Aiurther object is to provide improved mechanism for operating the flushing valve of a supply tank during the downward movement of a hinged water closet lid, and prevent any possibility of neglect in flushing With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating in full lines the normal positions of the several parts and in dotted lines the positions of the parts when the lid is elevated. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the flush tank, showing the flushing valve in closed position. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the flushing valve in its elevated position to which it is moved by the closing movement of the lid. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view showing the mounting of the lid and its cooperating parts.

1 represents a water closet bowl having a seat 2 and a lid 3. The bowl 2 is provided with an air inlet 4: below the seat 3, and this air inlet is formed by means of a recess in the top of the bowl. Seat 2 is provided with rearwardly projecting lugs 5 mounted to turn on a shaft 6 supported in brackets 7 fixed to bowl 1, so that the seat is free to pivot on the bowl. The lid 3 is providel with rearwardly projecting lugs 8, which are secured by set screws 9 or otherwise to the shaft 6, so that the shaft is compelled to turn when the lid is pivoted, and thus provide a pivotal support for the lid. One end of shaft 6 projects to one side of the bowl 1, and is provided with a crank arm 10 fixed to turn with the shaft.

I I would have it understood that while I have illustrated a particular mounting for the seat and lid, that other forms of mounting may be provided, but in any event, it is necessary to so secure the crank arm 10 and the lid that the crank arm is swung in the arc of a circle when the lid is raised and lowered.

, 11 represents a stop which limits the upward movement of the lid and prevents a rearward movement far enough to permit the lid to remain in an upright position, but compels the lid to fall by gravity to closed position when released. The form of stop 11 may, of course, be varied to suit conditlons.

12 represents a flush tank which is connected by a flush pipe 13 with the inlet 14: of bowl 1, and 15 is a vent communicating with the bowl'as shown. A siphon flushing valve 16 is provided in tank 12, and controls the outlet 17 of the tank. I would have it understood that my invention is not limited to any particular form of valve 16, and I have shown a simple form of valve to illustrate my invention.

Valve 16 is connected by a chain or other flexible device 18 with one end of a lever 19, the latter pivotally supported between its ends on a bracket 20 fixed to a plate 21. Thisplate 21 is secured on top of tank 12, and is provided at one end outside of tank 12 with a vertical guide sleeve 22 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. Lever 19 is connected at one end with a tripping lever 23, and the tripping lever is pivotally supported between its ends on a bracket 24 on plate 21.

A bracket 25 secured to the wall or other support 26, supports a bell-crank-lever 27. The lower end of this bell-crank-lever 27 is connected by a link 28 with a crank arm 10, and it will be noted that link 28 and arm 10 have a slot and pin connection 29 which permits of a certain amount of independent movement to compensate for the increased movement of the arm 10 over the movement necessary to flush the tank as will be explained. This detail may, of course, be varied without departing from my invention.

The upper end of the bell-crank-lever 27 is secured to arod which projects through the guide sleeve 22, and is provided at its eX- treme upper end with a horizontal finger 81. This finger 31 is adapted to engage one end of tripping lever 23, and it will be noted that 'the free ends of the finger and tripping lever are slightly beveled which is desirable to permit the necessary movements.

The operation is as follows: WVhen the lid 3 is raised, it causes the arm 10 to swing downwardly and forwardly and through the medium of link 28 and bell-crank-lever 27, exerts a downward pull on the rod 80. This downward movement of the rod moves the finger 31 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in dotted lines, and during such movement, the finger causes the tripping lever 23 to swing on its pivot 24 and move lever 19. This movement does not move the flushing valve 16, because of. the flexibility of chain 18. W hen the lid is closed or permitted to fall, it moves the crank arm 10 rearwardly and upwardly, and through the medium of link 28 and bell-c'rank-lever 29, exerts an upward movement of rod 80. This upward movement of rod 30 compels the finger 31 to swing the tripping lever 28 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3. This movement of the tripping lever elevates the chain end of the'lever 19, and lifts the flushing valve 16 to flush the tank. When the finger 31 reaches its highest position which is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the valve 16 will return to its closed position after the flushing operation.

I have not attempted to illustrate any particular automatic means for controlling the filling of tank 16, nor have I attempted to illustrate any exact form of flushing valve, but desire to cover broadly any form of flushing valve which can be operated by my improvements. It will also be noted that with my improvements the bowl cannot be used for any purpose without flushing the tank, as the movement of the lid in closing will compel the tank to flush, and the lid cannot be left in an open or upstanding position.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a water closet, the combination with a bowl, a flush tank, a flushing pipe connecting the tank with the bowl, and a flushing valve controlling the outlet of water from the tank to the bowl, of a hinged lid (311 the bowl, means for stopping the opening movement of the lid while the latter is in an inclined position whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravity to its closed position when manually released, and means operated by the closing movement of the lid to open the flush valve to the tank, substantially as described.

2. In a water closet, the combination with a bowl, a flush tank, a flushing pipe connecting the tank with the bowl, and a flushing valve controlling the outlet of water from the tank to the bowl, of a hinged lid on the bowl, means limiting the opening movement of the lid whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravity to closed position when manually released, and means operated by the closing movement of the lid to open the flushing valve in thetank, substantially as described. 7

3. In a water closet, the combination with a bowl, a flush tank, an outlet pipe connecting the flush tank and bowl, and a flushing valve in the tank, of a hinged lid forthe bowl, a crank arm secured to move with the lid, a rod supported on the outside of the tank and moved by the crank arm, a finger on the upper end of the rod, means operated by the finger for opening the flushing valve when the lid is moved to closed position, and means for limiting the opening movement of the lid whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravity when manually released, substantially as described.

4.. In a water closet, the combination witha bowl, a flush tank above the bowl, an out let pipe connecting the flush tank and bowl, a flushing valve in the tank, a shaft support ed on the bowl, a lid secured to the shaft, a crank arm secured on the shaft, a stationary support, a bell-crank-lever connected to the stationary support, a link; connecting one end of the bell-crank-lever with the crank arm, a rod secured 11011118 other end of the crank arm, a guide ,on the tank supporting said last-mentioned rod, means operated by the rod for opening the flushing eel valve when the lid is moved to closed position, and means limiting the opening movement of the lid whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravitv when manually released, substantially as described.

iis

5. In a water closet,'the combination with a bowl, a flush tank above the bowl, an outlet pipe connecting the flush tank and bowl,

and a flushing valve in the tank, of a plate lever, a lid hinged to the bowl, means operated by the pivotal movement of the lid for moving the tripping lever to open the flushing valve, and means limiting the opening movement of the lid whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravity when manually released, substantially as described.

6. In a water closet, the combination with a bowl, a flush tank above the bowl, an outlet pipe connecting the flush tank and bowl, and a flushing valve in the tank, of a plate secured on the tank and having two brackets thereon, a lever pivotally supported between its ends on one of the brackets, a flexible device connecting one end of said lever with the flushing valve, a tripping lever pivotally supported between its ends on the other of said brackets and Divotally connected at one end to the first-mentioned lever,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for a guide sleeve on the outside of the tank, a vertical rod movable in said guide sleeve and having a finger at its upper end adapted to engage the tripping lever, a lid hinged to the bowl, means operatively connecting the lid and said rod, whereby the movement of the lid compels the longitudinal movement of the rod, and means limiting the opening movement of the lid whereby the lid is compelled to fall by gravity when manually released, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- EDWIN C. HINKLE.

Vitnesses:

C. R. ZmGLnR, CHAS. E. Po'r'rs.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .D. G. 

